Florida A&M University has picked Carmen Cummings-Martin as its new chief of staff. Interim president Dr. Timothy Beard looked to his senior leadership team and chose the former assistant vice president of Alumni Affairs and University Advancement.
Dr. Beard announced his decision during a leadership team meeting on Tuesday. Cummings-Marin will begin her new role on March 17; she will also continue serving in her current position and work directly with Dr. Beard.
“I am excited to have Carmen serve as chief of staff on the leadership team,” Beard said in a prepared statement. “Her years of experience in alumni relations, government relations, and logistics will be an asset, and her commitment to Florida A&M University is palpable.”
Cummings-Martin’s salary is also a topic of discussion. She currently makes around $148,000 as assistant vice president, but it is unknown how much she will make in her new role. According to the State University System of Florida’s 2024 database, Tola Thompson, the previous chief of staff, was paid $245,000.
The new hire is one of several recent changes to Beard’s leadership team restructuring efforts. Other recent hires include Anthony Neal, the executive director of the FAMU Foundation and vice president for university advancement, and Jamal Sowell, vice president of government relations.
“I am honored and humbled to navigate into this new assignment. Those who know me understand my passion and unwavering commitment to Florida A&M University,” Cummings-Martin said in a prepared statement.
“I convey gratitude to Interim President Beard for the opportunity. I have always tried to be a team player in every aspect of my professional journey.”
Cummings-Martin is an alumna of Florida A&M. She graduated in 1984 with a degree in broadcast journalism. She served as executive director of Florida A&M’s Office of Alumni Affairs in 2007 before being promoted to her current position. She has won numerous honors and recognitions over her career, including the National HBCU (Historically Black College and University) Alumni Director of the Year award and the FAMU National Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award.
In her role as Florida A&M chief of staff, Cummings-Martin will advise President Beard and oversee projects while making sure the university’s objectives are fulfilled.
